TCS interview questions for freshers
India's largest IT services employer and the biggest single recruiter of engineering freshers. Almost all fresher hiring runs through one integrated National Qualifier Test on the TCS iON platform — your score on it decides which track you are interviewed for, so there is no separate exam to chase per role.
First gate: NQT — Foundation section — 76 min · 65 questions · no negative marking. Clear this and the rest of the process is interviews.
The TCS hiring process, round by round
What each stage tests, in the order you will face it. TCS NQT — National Qualifier Test.
- 1
NQT — Foundation section
76 min · 65 questions · no negative markingNumerical Ability (20), Verbal Ability (25) and Reasoning Ability (20). Sections are timed separately and you cannot go back to a question once you move on, so pace per section rather than per paper.
- 2
NQT — Advanced section
115 min · advanced MCQs + 2 coding problemsAdvanced Quantitative and Reasoning first, then 90 minutes for 2 coding problems in C, C++, Java or Python. This section is what separates Ninja from Digital and Prime — clearing Foundation alone gets you the base track.
- 3
Technical Interview
30–45 min · one-on-oneStays close to your resume: your primary language, your final-year project, and core CS — DBMS, OOP, OS and networking basics. TCS rarely pushes freshers into hard DSA or system design.
- 4
Managerial + HR
Often clubbed into one sittingSituational judgement, relocation, the service agreement, and why TCS specifically. Weak answers here do get people rejected after a clean technical round.
Which role you land
The same process routes into different tracks at TCS. What separates them is usually one section of the test.
Standard fresher track — clearing the Foundation section is the bar.
Needs a strong Advanced section, especially the coding questions.
Top NQT scorers; interviewed separately and against a harder bar.
Topics to prepare
What TCS actually asks about across its rounds.
Sample TCS interview questions
Grouped by the round they come from. Read them once, then answer them out loud — the second pass is the one that helps.
- 01A train 150 m long crosses a pole in 15 seconds. Find its speed in km/h.
- 02If the ratio of two numbers is 3:5 and their sum is 64, find the numbers.
- 03Find the next term in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, __.
- 04A can finish a job in 12 days and B in 18 days. Working together, how long do they take?
- 01Reverse a string without using any library function.
- 02Find the second largest element in an array in a single pass.
- 03Print the sum of the digits of a number repeatedly until a single digit remains.
- 04Check whether a given number is an Armstrong number.
- 01What is the difference between a primary key and a unique key?
- 02What is an array, and how does it differ from a linked list? When would you pick each?
- 03Explain the four pillars of OOP using something from your own project.
- 04What is normalization? Walk through 1NF, 2NF and 3NF.
- 05What happens when you type a URL into a browser and press enter?
- 01Why TCS, when your marks would get you an interview elsewhere too?
- 02Are you comfortable relocating anywhere in India?
- 03Are you willing to sign the service agreement? Have you read what it commits you to?
- 04Tell me about a time your team was going to miss a deadline. What did you do?
These are questions in the pattern TCS is reported to ask, compiled from public interview experiences — not a leaked question paper. The pattern is what transfers; the exact wording changes every cycle.
Where this came from
Last verified September 2026Compiled from TCS’s published hiring programme and current public interview reports. Eligibility bars and test patterns change between drives — always confirm the cutoff on the official TCS careers page or your placement cell before you plan around it.
TCS interview FAQs
What is the TCS interview process for freshers?
TCS hires through TCS NQT — National Qualifier Test. There are 4 stages: NQT — Foundation section, NQT — Advanced section, Technical Interview, Managerial + HR. Numerical Ability (20), Verbal Ability (25) and Reasoning Ability (20). Sections are timed separately and you cannot go back to a question once you move on, so pace per section rather than per paper.
What is the eligibility criteria for TCS?
BE/BTech/ME/MTech/MCA/MSc · 60% or 6.0 CGPA in 10th, 12th and graduation · no active backlogs · age 18–28 · academic gap of at most 2 years. No cap on attempts while you are inside the age limit.
Which topics should I prepare for a TCS interview?
Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability, C/C++ Programming, DBMS & SQL, OOPs, Operating Systems, Computer Networks. Weight them toward whichever round you keep failing in a mock.
How many rounds does TCS take?
4 — 1) NQT — Foundation section: Numerical Ability (20), Verbal Ability (25) and Reasoning Ability (20). Sections are timed separately and you cannot go back to a question once you move on, so pace per section rather than per paper. 2) NQT — Advanced section: Advanced Quantitative and Reasoning first, then 90 minutes for 2 coding problems in C, C++, Java or Python. This section is what separates Ninja from Digital and Prime — clearing Foundation alone gets you the base track. 3) Technical Interview: Stays close to your resume: your primary language, your final-year project, and core CS — DBMS, OOP, OS and networking basics. TCS rarely pushes freshers into hard DSA or system design. 4) Managerial + HR: Situational judgement, relocation, the service agreement, and why TCS specifically. Weak answers here do get people rejected after a clean technical round.
Which roles does TCS offer freshers?
Ninja — Standard fresher track — clearing the Foundation section is the bar. Digital — Needs a strong Advanced section, especially the coding questions. Prime — Top NQT scorers; interviewed separately and against a harder bar.
Is TCS a service or a product company?
TCS is a service company. India's largest IT services employer and the biggest single recruiter of engineering freshers. Almost all fresher hiring runs through one integrated National Qualifier Test on the TCS iON platform — your score on it decides which track you are interviewed for, so there is no separate exam to chase per role.
Preparing for more than one
Service companies first — that prep transfers almost entirely between them.
Answer these TCS questions out loud
Reading a question bank is not preparation. Say your answers in a free AI mock interview and get instant feedback on structure, clarity and confidence.